Monday, December 24, 2012

I thought I'd share a cute holiday video from Wallace the "Pit Bull". Have a Merry Christmas Everyone and wishing you and your family, both furry or not, all the best in 2013! May 2013 be the year we rid Ontario and other jurisdictions of BSL. The domino's are falling in our favour. The discrimination of banning breeds, shapes and appearances of dogs is insane and MUST STOP!

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Delaney has been MPP in Mississauga - Streetsville since 2003. Delaney chaired a portion of the committee hearings for Bill 132 back in 2004/2005. Let's just say he is quite familiar with BSL in Ontario.A group of dog owning constituents attended the event. Delaney previously expressed he feels the "pit bull" ban in Ontario is a dead issue. This group of Mississauga dog ownerscountered Delaney's opinion letting him know this issue is far from dead. One constituent reported his response to her was "He is glad these vicious killing machines are gone and he'll support the ban forever". He then scurried away into the men's washroom to avoid any further questions!Hmm "killing machines"? Has Delaney not received the memo about how many dog bite related fatalities in Canada have been related to "pit bulls"? In conversation, another constituent reported that allegedly while begging for votes Delaney said "If someone presents another Bill that deals with this issue instead of that horrible Nazi law that goes against every damn word written in the charter of rights, I'll vote for it". Well there was a Bill in the House which passed 2nd reading, committee hearings and only needed to be called for third. It was tri-party supported but Delaney didn't vote in favour of it.

Every dog has it's day. Every MPP has an expiry date. Instead of running off to the washroom to avoid constituents, maybe you should be a man and realize the error of your ways.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

In a trade deal last week, Mark Buehrle was traded from the Miami Marlins to the Toronto Blue Jays. Several months back Mark and Jamie spoke out in Miami against the draconian ban on "pit bulls" there. Who knew at that time they would be facing a move to Ontario. In Miami, the ban covers the area of the city of Miami-Dade. The Buehrle's were able to live outside the city limits and live safely with all their family members. Not so easy in Toronto since the ban is province wide. The Ontario ban is the largest geographic ban in the world. Safe living arrangements would need to be either in Quebec or New York state. That would make for a hell of a commute!Not that we needed another example of the ridiculousness of banning certain breeds, shapes or appearances of dogs, (the horn of plenty is overflowing with examples) but this is another prime example of the irrational thinking behind such narrow minded laws. Slater, the Buehrle's "pit bull" is in training to become a certified therapy dog. Not even that will make Slater welcome in Ontario. Many certified therapy dogs were forced to give up their important jobs when the ban took effect in 2005. The Bill(s) that have made their way through the legislature in Ontario have been given the name "Hersey's Bill", named after a rescued "pit bull" named Hershey, forced to give up her job because of her appearance. We are hoping we get the ban repealed in time for Slater and other dogs with a similar plight, to be welcomed back into the province. When McGuinty stepped down as Premier of Ontario, he also prorogued the legislature. We had a third version of Hershey's Bill ready to be called for 3rd reading and final vote! When the House was closed down, all Bills died on the floor and ours was one of them. That was our 3rd private members Bill. What made this one special was it was tri party supported. It was brought forward by PC MPP Randy Hillier and co-signed by NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo and Liberal MPP Kim Craitor. Three Liberals voted in favour of the Bill at second reading. We had more than enough support to allow passage into law, but was all for naught with the prorogation of parliament.

If it is any consultation, we the dog owners and sports fans of Ontario, welcome you with open arms Mark, Jamie and the rest of your family, INCLUDING Slater! We support you and continue in our fight for our right to be judged on behaviour not appearance. Fair and equal treatment under the law is our aim and we will not rest until we have established this.Hopefully our fair Province of Ontario will have common sense restored sooner than later...

Sunday, November 11, 2012

I have a theory...When the Ontario Liberal Government enacted the ban against three purebred breeds and anything substantially similar, what they call "pit bulls", they needed some way of identifying short haired mutts. Since there is no reliable way to identify mix breed dogs by breed, and there is no person, regardless of profession can correctly identify them either, they needed a solution.The government sent out special glasses to all animal control officers throughout the province. Some jurisdictions such as Ottawa, didn't receive their glasses. They went public and stated they would not be identifying mix breed dogs as "pit bulls" since there is no reliable identification process. You have heard the saying, "seeing the world through rose coloured glasses". Well this is "seeing the world through 'pit bull' coloured glasses.

If you put them on, every dog looks like a "pit bull". Here is a sampling of dogs identified by animal control officers in Ontario.

Seriously, they must be looking through "pit bull" glasses. I have looked and looked at these pics and I don't see it. It's possible the OLP sent them out to main stream media outlets as well. Curious...

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

It's official! Beyond the Myth is available on Rogers on Demand, Itunes, Blockbuster, Netflix and at the official website and Amazon to purchase. I hope you rent/buy this film. It is very well done and I am so proud of Libby Sherrill, the writer/producer/director. It was a wonderful experience taking Beyond the Myth to multiple theatres for screening, prior to the public release of the film. The response was awesome! It is an emotional, thought provoking film. It is a must see.Check it out! I highly recommend it..

Monday, September 24, 2012

Just when you think you've heard it all, along comes a hater and proves you wrong.. From a comment on one of the articles of hyperbole, trying to stir the pot in BC...

There is no dog that removes as much human flesh as pitbulls.

Once you get past the mental picture and ridiculousness of this statement, feel free to *laugh out loud*, as I did. Next question... Wha? I had no idea there was some competition to see what kind of mutt can remove as much flesh over another. I would hate to be the test subject of this study. Oh here's another comment (actually in the form of a question),

Why should owners of beagles and collies pay for having the sense to choose a breed that has a long history of adapting to humans without causing harm?

Now usually I am a person who says there is no such thing as a stupid question, however in this case I must make an exception to my rule.

These dogs are DESIGNED to tear, to maul, to maim.

Yup, that's it.. The family pets we commonly refer to as short haired mutts or "pit bulls" are designed to maim you! I think what people are confused about is wanting a ban on Badgers or Wolverines?

Quote from Dr. Lehr Brisbin;"The few studies which have been conducted of the structure of the skulls, mandibles and teeth of pit bulls show that, in proportion to their size, their jaw structure and thus its inferred functional morphology, is no different than that of any breed of dog. There is absolutely no evidence for the existence of any kind of 'locking mechanism' unique to the structure of the jaw and/or teeth of the American Pit Bull Terrier."

- chemical in the brain that causes "ticking time bomb" syndrome (disproved)Turned out that applied to a certain former Attorney General of Ontario.- skull to small for their brain (disproved) come on.. please!- can't feel pain (disproved every time I try to trim nails). - do the most damage when biting (disproved) Well I guess this would depend on what one is referring to when explaining "most damage". I live in Canada and I will speak to Canada. I consider the "most damage" to be a fatality. For further information here is a link to the DBR fatalities in Canada.

From the committee hearings a statement from Dr. Bonnie Beaver;

"Pit bull dogs, regardless of how they are defined, are not the dogs reported in Canada for inflicting fatal or even severe bites. According to the most recent study for the years 1990 through 2007, huskies and husky crosses are. Huskies were involved in 32 of 48 fatal attacks. Interestingly, this was also true in 2004 when the original bill was considered. However, huskies were not included on the Ontario list of bad dogs. Neither were German shepherds, cocker spaniels, Rottweilers, or golden retrievers, the top four breeds involved in dog-bite injuries in Canada at that time."

- are aggressive because they hang from tree branches (just plain mental).Now let's look at some of the common myths from a portion ofthose fighting for their right to own a short haired mutt...- "pit bull" is a breed (Nope) American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier are all breeds. They are also among the rarest of breeds in Canada with less than 500 residing in Ontario and yes this was the case in 2004 when the Liberals enacted the ban.

- "pit bulls" need special homes cause they are different (Nope) short haired mutts are no different from any other mutt. They should be judged on energy level, size and temperament like any other mutt and matched accordingly with an appropriate home. All dogs need training and socialization to be a good canine citizen.- "pit bulls" are the most abused "breed" (Nope) There is no evidence to support this theory. - "pit bulls" are nanny dogs (Nope) Was a nickname for Staffordshire Bull Terriers but doesn't mean they aren't dogs and capable of biting in the wrong situation like any other dog.- Dog fighting is prevalent (Nope) it is rare and has nothing to do with what we are fighting for. Dog fighting has been illegal in Canada since 1892! Are there pockets found in usually low income areas? Yes, but largely punk kids in alleys fighting mutts. (Yes I have talked to members of the Police about this). - Many dogs in the shelter/rescue system that come in with terrible injuries are "bait dogs". (there is no evidence to support this). All dogs are capable of fighting with each other. Dog/Dog aggression happens with all breeds and mix breed dogs. It does not relate directly to human aggression and people with dogs that exhibit dog/dog or dog/human aggression need to seek the help of a professional trainer. Knowing your dog and their body language and paying attention goes a long way to preventing fights from breaking out. This all being said, all I have to say is Haters Gonna Hate! I have no interest in bantering back and forth with those with irrational fears. People who have latched on to the myth, hyperbole and urban legends (and that includes most of the main stream media) and hang on tighter than a dog to a tree branch. If you have irrational fears to "pit bulls", sharks, snakes, spiders, the dark, witches or any other thing you may be irrationally fearful of; get some help man! This is considered a mental illness in the form of a phobia and yes you can get help; just not from me. I am more than willing to speak with people who are willing to learn about dispelling the lies but if you are preaching the lies like some tin foil hat cult club, I have nothing to say to you other than get some help!

For landshark week Game Dog Guardian had some fab illustrations. With their permission here is one of them. Love it! Breed Specific Legislation does not work! It has been proved not to work, one example being a 10 year study in the Netherlands, which resulted in the repeal of BSL. Jurisdictions worldwide are repealing in a domino like fashion. Jurisdictions proposed with BSL are dismissing it for programs that are not breed specific but fair, equal and enforceable. An example of this is Calgary's Responsible Pet Ownership program. The RPOP fits any size town, city or municipality.If you are still hanging on the the belief that BSL in fact works, as opposed to what it really does (kill innocent family pets and target good dog owners) you may very well be mentally ill! Get some help!

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

PC MPP Randy Hillier sent out an update today. The House is now back and the bi-elections are over. McGuinty and his minions are still in a minority therefore we continue to push forward for Bill 16 to be brought up for 3rd and final reading. Bill 16 will repeal BSL in Ontario.

BSL updateAt the end of last session, we saw that the governing party has no interest in repealing Ontario's breed specific legislation or improving the current Dog Owner's Liability Act. You can catch a full video of that committee here. I know I haven't had any good news to report on this front, but after last week, I do have some. The voters denied the Premier a majority. As long as the governing party doesn't have a majority, we can still get rid of BSL in Ontario. Now that the Legislature is coming back, it's time to put the pressure on our elected representatives. If you haven't already, make sure to sign the petition to end breed specific legislation in Ontario. It can be found here. I hope to have some positive news soon for you!

In addition to signing the petition, please contact your MPP and simply ask that they push for Bill 16 to be brought forward for 3rd reading. Also please email Dalton McGuinty and demand Bill 16 be brought forward. You do not have to go into detail, but simply state what you want. If you live in a riding held by either PC or NDP, please don't let your MPP feel left out. Please ask them to encourage the Liberal House leader, John Milloy, to bring Bill 16 for 3rd reading, and ask for their continued support and vote when the Bill comes up.Please also email Dwight Duncan (Deputy Premier),John Milloy (Liberal House Leader), Jim Wilson (PC House Leader) and Gilles Bisson (NDP House Leader) asking for Bill 16 to be brought forward for 3rd reading.

Please also send an email note to Cheri DiNovo, Randy Hillier and Kim Craitor to let them know we haven't gone anywhere over the summer. We are still waiting with great anticipation, to live in our province without discrimination against our dog/s appearance. I would also like to invite you to our twitter campaign to push for Bill 16 to be brought to third reading. You can follow me @Brindlestick Hang in BSL Freedom Fighters! We must take our campaign to a higher level, ramp up and work together to tighten the pressure on the McGuinty Liberals.We WILL WIN THIS! WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN UNTIL BSL IN ONTARIO IS NOTHING BUT A HORRIFIC MEMORY!

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Dogs talking about their human pets and how "blue eye" humans are banned by the government. This satire reflects the insanity of discrimination based on appearance, instead of focusing on responsible dog ownership & training for all breeds of dogs. Our goal is to repeal "Breed Specific Legislation" world-wide. Please share this video to help us attain a higher awareness to this issue.

More fantastic repeal news, this time from New York State! Last month was the state of Massachusetts, which was hot on the heels of Ohio. Kudos to the Long Island Coalition of Dog Fanciers for pushing to have a Bill put through Senate to prohibit BSL in the state. On September 3 New York became the 12th state to prohibit passage of breed-specific legislation. Get with the program Dalton McGuinty!

Discriminatory laws against dog owners based on appearance as opposed to behaviour is passée. Dalton McGuinty you are out of date! Repeal BSL in Ontario. The dog owners of Ontario demand the McGuinty Government bring Bill 16 for vote inthe legislature immediately!

This day commemorates the 7 year mark of Dalton McGuinty's draconian legislation that is commonly referred to as the "pit bull" ban. This ban kills dogs or sends them for research based on appearance as opposed to the behaviour of the dog. The 3 named purebred breeds are so rare in Ontario -less than 500 combined- therefore the targets (which number in the thousands) have been largely mix breed dogs of unknown lineage.We have helped hundreds of people and witnessed many heartbreaking stories. We have lived this horror show for nearly a decade. We (Dog Legislation Council of Canada) raised 3/4 Million dollars (of which we are still paying) and went to court. We had significant portions of the law struck as unconstitutional only to have it re-instated with an appeal. We applied to appeal to the SCC but they refused to hear our case.The McGuinty government has fought us tooth and nail by using endless dollars fighting us in court including an appeal. They have used endless taxpayer dollars killing family pets - using MAG (Ministry Attorney General) lawyers in individual cases. They have spurred outright witch hunts in some jurisdictions going door to door seizing family pets since police powers were given to municipal workers and in many cases contract workers for municipalities. We currently have a tri-party supported, Bill 16 which is past second reading. The Bill has passed through committee hearings, which appeared to be ignored yet again. Merely a carbon copy in condensed form the committee hearings were 100% against the ban. Experts including DLCC, now retired Bill Bruce from Calgary, AVMA, CKC among many more all presented factual information clearly demonstrating the utter failure of breed banning worldwide plus clearly laying out alternatives.

Most jurisdictions have repealed such as Holland, Switzerland, Ohio, Cincinnati, Toledo (home of Liberal "expert witness" dog catcher Tom Skeldon who was later fired in 2004), and countless other jurisdictions. The state of Massachusetts recently passed a state law making it illegal to target specific breeds with laws in local communities. The former AG of Ontario Michael Bryant recently admitted publicly the Ontario breed ban appealed to his giant ego and he was a drunk during his time as AG until 2006. This explains a lot and confirms a lot of suspicions however what the hell is Dalton McGuinty's excuse? What exactly is Dalton McNanny's reason in procrastinating bringing Bill 16 for third reading? Three Liberal MPP's voted in favour of the Bill at second reading and one of them, Kim Craitor, signed on to the Bill. We have had numerous other Liberal MPP's speak with us, indicating they hold cabinet posts so *they must vote with government* but they are in favour of Bill 16. There were few Liberals left in the house during the vote at second reading. There is more than enough support to get this Bill passed. This is his *way out* if he so cowardly wishes to save face.

Dalton McGuinty has a lot to answer for! It is a crime in my eyes what he has done to innocent dog owners and innocent family pets in Ontario. If one wanted to actually improve public safety with regard to dog bites, the law we have had in place since the late 1800's, you know the one the ban is an amendment to, DOLA Dog Owners Liability Act, is waiting to be enforced upon dog owners of any shape/size/type/look or breed of dog. The law has disproportionately been enforced to hunt for so called "pit bulls" in Ontario while it is business as usual regarding public safety. The public is no safer today than it was August 28, 2005!

This whole charade has been a heartbreaking, expensive, futile exercise in discrimination toward dog owners who happen to own a certain "look" of dog. That "look" is as diverse as there are animal control officers in Ontario.

Many things need to change.Main stream media continues to fill space with dog attack stories by so called "pit bulls". This week CTV Toronto's lead story on the 6pm news was a so called "pit bull" attacked another family pet in a park. Not once did the victim say the dog was a "pit bull" and the dog was never found yet CTV lead you to believe they are experts in identifying a "pit bull" even though the dog had disappeared before they were on the scene? Governments must stop making decisions perpetuating a myth!The propaganda campaign must end!People must understand Dogs Bite: But Balloons And Slippers Are More Dangerous.

One thing this older and wiser Ontario dog owner knows for sure... You may as well give up Dalton McGuinty. Stop your nannying ways!We will never give up and *We won't back down!*

Friday, August 3, 2012

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

May 9th the Bill 16 Committee met for a final report and vote on amendments. The Liberals decided to dig in their spike heels and voted "NO" to all amendments. I guess Berardinetti, Coteau, Sergio and Dhillon all drank the kool-aid? Either their ears were painted on or they weren't paying attention during the committee hearings. One of them made a comment to someone on our side; "You have your beliefs; we have ours!" Can you freeking believe it? Ok, stupid question...But for shit's sake! Beliefs? How they think they can argue with science is beyond me. They have been presented with the facts but I guess it is easier to believe fiction? Shorter neuron pathway? Someone is short a few synapses but I won't mention any names.. Anyway if you feel like you need an aneurysm here is a link to the Hansard.Hansard for May 9, 2012 sub committee final meeting.Bill 16 has now passed without any amendments and available for third reading. Unfortunately McGuinty holds the cards as to whether the Bill will be called for third.Here is what you can do;Set up an appointment to meet with your MPP and explain to them why you want Bill 16 to be called for third reading, regardless of party. The PC's and NDP's need to hear from you too so this becomes of importance.Second choice send a fax to your MPP and all people listed below.Third choice send an email to your MPP and all people listed below. Go often to www.bringbackthebulls.com and send an email through the site to;Your MPP no matter the party and let them know you want Bill 16 to be called for third.

Fax and Email Dalton McGuinty and let him know as well. Fax 613-736-7374 and 416-325-3745

Fax and Email John Milloy. He is the Liberal House Leader and participates in the decision as well. Fax 416-325-5191Fax and Email Dwight Duncan. He is the Deputy Premier. Fax 519-251-5299If you want to show some love for the committee members please do so. Their participation is over but you may demonstrate how you feel about reading through Hansard and their participation in committee..Lorenzo Berardinetti fax 416-494-9937Michael Coteau fax 416-494-9937Vic Dhillon fax 905-796-8069Mario Sergio fax 416-743-3292

Monday, May 7, 2012

The final Committee meeting on Bill 16 will be on Wed. May 9th at 9am.

The Committee will vote clause by clause on amendments made to DOLA (Dog Owners Liability Act).

Once the Bill is finalized it will be ready to be called for third reading. The clause by clause will be live streamed by hitting the link below. At the link you will see Queen's Park webcasts. When you hit the webcast link a viewing frame should appear on your screen.

Friday, April 20, 2012

With Bill 16 moving through committee hearings the pressure and anticipation are mounting.

Here in Ontario, for those who may not understand the sequence of events, for a bill to become law it must pass 3rd reading. Bill 16 a tri party private members bill to repeal the breed ban, introduced by PC MPP Randy Hillier and supported by NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo and Liberal MPP Kim Craitor passed second reading with a vote 51 to 26 on February 23. We had 3 Liberal MPP's vote in favour of bill 16! That is quite ground breaking considering it was the Liberals that added the breed ban as an amendment to the Dog Owners Liability Act in the first place.

The bill was then sent to public committee hearings which began Wednesday April 18th. There is another date next week Wednesday April 25th for the last day of hearings.

Once committee hearings are finished the committee will deliberate then the bill will be ready to be brought up for third reading.

There are a couple possible roadblocks between now and 3rd reading.

The budget needs to be passed on Tuesday April 24th. If the budget does not pass the government will fall and an election will be called. Because it is a minority government, the Liberals need 2 members of the opposition to vote in favour of the budget in order for it to pass. The PC's came out of the starting gate opposing the budget so it is unlikely there will be any support from the PC members. That leaves things squarely in the lap of the NDP which the leader Andrea Horwath was so far backed off on the demand to remove the HST off heating bills but is still adamant that people earning over $500,000/yr have a tax increase.

McGuinty has the power to veto any private members bill. Dwight Duncan is the House Leader therefore it is up to him to call the bill to the floor for third. Polite phone calls to MPP's, Duncan's office and McGuinty's constituency office would be a good idea to add some pressure for the Liberals to call Bill 16 to the floor for third once committee hearings are finished.

With any luck, things will progress and hopefully this could be wrapped up by the end of this session.

Keep your fingers crossed and stay tuned for next week's round of committee hearings. For more information on the hearings click on this link.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

We, the DLCC, are pleased to announce a repeat screening of Beyond The Myth in Toronto at Pawsway. April 22nd at 3pm, mark your calendar now!

Where: Pawsway 245 Queens Quay West Toronto, ON M5J 2K9

When: Sunday April 22, 2012 at 3:00pm

Tickets: $15 (limited tickets so get your tickets now!)

Beyond the Myth is a film about 'pitbulls' and those who love and defend them. It explores the contributing factors behind the public's generalized fear of 'pitbulls' and examines the conflict existing between advocates and opponents of Breed Specific Legislation (BSL). It also investigates the myths associated with the breed and asks the question, what exactly is a 'pitbull'?

Viewers are taken on a journey to four U.S. cities where Breed Specific Legislation focusing on "pit bulls" has profoundly impacted people and animals: Denver, Miami, Cincinnati, and San Francisco.

The documentary intelligently explores the contributing factors behind the public's generalized fear of "pit bulls", and examines the conflict existing between advocates and opponents of breed discriminatory laws, commonly referred to as breed bans. It investigates the myths associated with these breeds, challenges the idea that they are inherently vicious, presents eye-opening research regarding the media's role in influencing people's opinion on dog attacks.

There will be mingling, meet and greet plus merchandise sales and informational materials.

Last year Marcia was chosen as one of the professional photographers to submit images for The Unexpected Pit Bull 2012 Calendar. Check out October! I just got one at the Rally.. Love it! Thanks to Ciaron and The Unexpected Pitbull!.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Did you know it is a Federal Offence to sell any animal as a purebred if it is not registered with an association incorporated under the Animal Pedigree Act?

For many years I have noticed ads for dogs being advertised (and priced accordingly) as purebred dogs, but not registered or "papered".

Ads such as this one;

Purebred American Staffordshire Terrier puppies for sale

We have 2 females left, the puppies are purebred (not registered/no papers) American Staffordshire Terriers. We have both parents (pictured) that can be viewed. The puppies have had thier first shots, been dewormed and have been vet checked. Puppies are ready to go to new homes. They have been raised in a home with children and other pets and will be great family dogs.

Or this one;

SEEKING an acreage or farm that may want a very loyal companion. At 8 mths old he is very obedient, comes from cougar/bear hunters bloodline. Purebreed (no papers) and his parents/breeder are located aprox 40km west of Edmonton, if wanting to view them. All shots are up to date (UTD) excellent around families/children & other dogs. He enjoys sitting outside in the sun for hours, he would much rather be outside. Reasoning behind getting rid of him is.. NOT a city dog; this breed has an issue with barriers and being in the house all the time when he enjoys just being outside. Hoping to find a good home and or family to take the time he actually needs which we haven't been able to provide.

Any quick search of the want ads will turn up multiple ads such as the examples above.

The Animal Pedigree Act applies to all purebred animals. Animals must be registered with an association incorporated under the Act.

The registration means a certificate issued under the authority of the Act for an animal of a distinct breed.

All animals must be tattooed or micro chipped for identification of the animal.

All purebred animals have a pedigree which means a genealogical table showing the ancestral line of descent of a registered animal.

The purpose of the Act are to promote breed improvement and protect persons who raise and purchase animals.

The determination of what is a purebred of a distinct breed is in accordance with the by-laws of the association incorporated in respect of that distinct breed.

No association may, by its by-laws, determine that an animal is a purebred of a distinct breed if the animal has less than seven-eighths of its inheritance from the foundation stock of the animal's breed or from animals previously registered as purebreds by the association.

The certificate of registration issued must contain the following information;-The name of the association.-The animal's mane and particulars of the animals's individual identification.-The animals' date of birth, sex and identification number.-The names and identification numbers of the animal's parents.-The name of the animal's owner.

To read a copy of the by-laws set out by the CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) use this link.

Marginal note:No person shall keep records

63. (1) Except as authorized by this Act, where an association is authorized by this Act to register or identify animals of a distinct breed or evolving breed, no person shall keep pedigrees in respect of animals of that distinct breed or evolving breed or issue any document purporting to evidence that a particular animal is of that distinct breed or evolving breed or so closely resembling a certificate of registration, or certificate of identification, as the case may be, that it would likely be mistaken for such a certificate.

Marginal note:No person shall issue document

(2) No person shall issue in respect of any animal any document of any kind likely to deceive the public into believing that the document is a certificate of registration or certificate of identification in respect of the animal or that the animal is registered or identified under the authority of this Act.

In simple terms it is an offence to issue a certificate the may be mistaken for a registration paper. I have come across some pet stores issuing certificates saying they are "registration papers" but they are not issued by any association. The ones I saw were printed up, likely on the store printer, on a template certificate stating the dog was "x" breed or a health certificate.

(a) knowingly sign or present, or cause or procure to be signed or presented, to a recording officer of any association or of the Corporation any declaration or application in relation to the registration, identification or transfer of ownership of any animal, semen or embryo that contains any material false statement or representation;

(b) knowingly represent that a certificate of registration or certificate of identification applies to an animal other than the one in respect of which it was issued;

(c) knowingly represent that a semen certificate or embryo certificate applies to any semen or embryo other than the semen or embryo in respect of which it was issued;

(d) falsify or alter any certificate of registration, certificate of identification, semen certificate or embryo certificate;

(e) without an express statement that the animal’s registration or identification is from a jurisdiction other than Canada, offer to sell, contract to sell or sell, as registered or identified, or as eligible to be registered or identified, within or outside the meaning of this Act, any animal that is not registered or identified, or eligible to be registered or identified;

(f) offer to sell, contract to sell or sell, as recorded, or as eligible to be recorded, in the books of any association, or of the Corporation, any semen or embryo that is not recorded or eligible to be recorded in those books;

(g) knowingly offer to sell, contract to sell or sell any animal in a manner that is likely to create an erroneous impression that the animal is registered or eligible to be registered;

(h) offer to sell, contract to sell or sell, as a purebred of a breed, any animal that is not registered or eligible to be registered as a purebred by the association authorized to register animals of that breed or by the Corporation;

(i) without an express statement that the animal’s registration, identification or status as a purebred is from a jurisdiction other than Canada, offer to sell, contract to sell or sell, as registered or identified, or as a purebred, any animal for which there is no individual identification in accordance with the by-laws of the association that has registered or identified the animal; and

(j) without an express statement that the animal’s registration, identification or status as a purebred is from a jurisdiction other than Canada and that the animal will not be registered or identified in Canada by the person, sell, as registered or identified, or as eligible to be registered or identified, or as a purebred, any animal without providing to the buyer thereof within six months after the sale the animal’s duly transferred certificate of registration or certificate of identification.

In a nutshell, it is prohibited to sell an animal as a purebred unless the animal is registered with an association incorporated in the Act.

It is important to know your rights as a consumer of an animal.

Let it be known, it is perfectly legal to sell dogs and puppies as cross bred dogs or mongrels as long as they are not sold under the guise as a purebred breed if not registered. The main point to remember is, no registration with an association incorporated by the Act, no purebred. Doesn't matter what the dog looks like. If both parents of a dog are registered purebreds, the pup is then eligible to be registered. Don't let people lead you to believe it is a huge expense or the animal is going to be more expensive because of the registration. It costs less than $25. to register a puppy if done within 120 days.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

I took a little better than a week's break. I was tired right out and didn't get blogging.

February 23rd was an amazing day in the fight to repeal the breed ban in Ontario.

Photography by Beth Mischitelle

We started the day with a Rally on the front lawn of Queen's Park. We had an amazing turn out! Some people who work at the legislature said we had a HUGE turn out for a week day!

Photography by Beth Mischitelle

Selma did a great job emceeing the Rally and Fran and gang did a great job organizing and promoting it. There were great speakers including all three MPP's that signed on to the Bill, PC MPP Randy Hillier,

PC MPP Randy Hillier

NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo and Liberal MPP Kim Craitor.

Liberal MPP Kim Craitor

Our Cathy Prothro spoke on behalf of the DLCC and American Staffordshire Terrier Club of Canada.

DLCC sec/treasurer, Pres. AST Club of Canada

She flew in for the occasion from Dartmouth NS. Squibs Mercier from the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of Canada flew in from Ottawa. Squibs is well into her 80's but she is a force to be reckoned with.

Squibs Mercier SBT Club of Canada

Sonny Allinson spoke on behalf of the CKC,

Sonny Allinson, Manager Communications Division CKC

many other MPP's who came out to greet us said a few words.. among others. I can't even list everyone who spoke. The tone was upbeat and positive. Randy Hillier bought yellow scarves for everyone to wear in support of Bill 16. Dogs and owners alike were wearing the scarves with pride.

At 1 pm we headed into the Legislature building to sit in the gallery. Petitions were read first. Several were presented including one Randy presented with over 4000 names.

Several other Bills were debated and presented with Bill 16 debate being last for a Thursday afternoon. The House was closed on Friday so it appeared there were a lot of MPP's had left for the weekend.

Liberal MPP Willowdale David Zimmer's "speech" was particularly rousing. I am going to share that with you so you may read through it yourself.

Make sure you remove any "bullshit protectors" from your eyes before reading this, otherwise you will not be able to view the following text.

Mr. David Zimmer: I think it’s important to look at some of the history leading up to this legislation.

Pre-2005—in the years leading up to 2005—members of this chamber will recall that there was a particularly nasty spate of pit bull attacks on children, on citizens walking in the park and on citizens walking in the street. These were vicious, vicious attacks: children killed, faces ripped off and the like. The member opposite talks about dog bites. In fact, they were vicious, life-threatening attacks.

There was a public outcry to do something about pit bulls. The legislation was brought in. It received second reading here, and it went off to committee.

The member opposite said there were a number of institutions that appeared at the committee hearings, which she attended, and they were opposed to the legislation. I, as the parliamentary assistant to the Attorney General, attended every one of those hearings. There were huge numbers of ordinary citizens coming in off the street in the various communities where the committee had hearings, and to a person, the ordinary, reasonable Ontario citizen said, “Protect us from these vicious pit bull attacks. Protect our children; protect our parents. Make the streets safe; make the parks safe.” So we introduced the legislation.

I can say that at the committee we saw medical reports of the results of these attacks. We saw the photographs of what happened to children and senior citizens and young adults who were attacked—horrific, horrific injuries.

Anyway, the legislation passed. And here’s how reasonable the legislation is: Really, what it says is, if you’ve got a pit bull, you’ve got to have it spayed, neutered, leashed and muzzled. That’s all; that’s what it says. In return for that, look at the protections that Ontario citizens on the street get. If somebody will merely spay, neuter, leash and muzzle their pit bull, we would be spared from these vicious, vicious life-threatening attacks. That’s why, across the board in Ontario, reasonable Ontarians said, “That’s a reasonable price to pay in exchange for protection from these kinds of attacks.” All we’re asking pit bull owners to do is to meet us a part of the way. If you’ve got a pit bull, spay it, neuter it, keep it on a leash and keep it muzzled. That’s a reasonable approach to this issue. For those four things—spay, neuter, leash, muzzle—we protect our families from these vicious pit bull attacks.

That’s why, when push came to shove, the average Ontarian out there on the street saw the reasonableness of the legislation, saw the inherent protections and realized that when the pit bull lobby was attacking the legislation—and the member opposite from Parkdale very subtly, in kind of a sly, sleight-of-hand way, referred to dog bites. There’s a big difference between a dog bite and having, as we saw in photographs—we read medical reports of children with their faces torn off; adults, men and women, with their genitalia chewed off. It was vicious—

Laughter.

Mr. David Zimmer: You laugh; you laugh. But if you go to the reports, the exhibits of the standing committee—

Interjections.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Bas Balkissoon): Order. Order. I would ask the members on this side to keep order, please.

Mr. David Zimmer: That’s why, notwithstanding everything the pit bull lobby says, the average Ontarian in your ridings, in your communities, supported the legislation, and that’s why, when the pit bull lobby took the legislation to the courts to have it overturned—what did the courts say? The courts said that it was reasonable legislation for the harm that it protected from. It only asked for those four simple things: leash, muzzle, spay, neuter.

It’s a reasonable piece of legislation given the protections that it provides to the citizens of Ontario, and that’s why the ordinary, average citizen supported the legislation.

Yes, that's right! Genitalia! You are damn right there was laughter. I must say, even for Zimmer this was a bang your head off the furniture, bang up speech.

The debates finished and the speaker announced the "aye's" had it. Hillier had called for a formal vote so a 5 minute bell was announced. This is a period of 5 minutes that any MPP's in the building had to get their butts in for a formal vote. It was a tense few minutes but what happened next brought all of us in the gallery to tears. The MPP's for the opposition poured in. There were only 2 empty seats. I didn't notice any additional Liberal MPP's coming in. The vote was called and ALL the opposition voted in favour of Bill 16 along with 3 Liberal MPP's. Kim Craitor, Grant Crack and Mike Colle.

The final vote tally;

Ayes

Armstrong, Teresa J.

Arnott, Ted

Bailey, Robert

Barrett, Toby

Bisson, Gilles

Campbell, Sarah

Chudleigh, Ted

Clark, Steve

Colle, Mike

Crack, Grant

Craitor, Kim

DiNovo, Cheri

Dunlop, Garfield

Elliott, Christine

Fedeli, Victor

Forster, Cindy

Hardeman, Ernie

Harris, Michael

Hillier, Randy

Horwath, Andrea

Hudak, Tim

Jackson, Rod

Jones, Sylvia

Klees, Frank

Leone, Rob

MacLaren, Jack

Mantha, Michael

Marchese, Rosario

McDonell, Jim

McKenna, Jane

McNaughton, Monte

Miller, Paul

Milligan, Rob E.

Munro, Julia

Natyshak, Taras

Nicholls, Rick

O’Toole, John

Ouellette, Jerry J.

Prue, Michael

Schein, Jonah

Scott, Laurie

Shurman, Peter

Singh, Jagmeet

Smith, Todd

Tabuns, Peter

Taylor, Monique

Thompson, Lisa M.

Vanthof, John

Walker, Bill

Wilson, Jim

Yurek, Jeff

Nays

Berardinetti, Lorenzo

Bradley, James J.

Coteau, Michael

Damerla, Dipika

Delaney, Bob

Dhillon, Vic

Dickson, Joe

Duguid, Brad

Flynn, Kevin Daniel

Jaczek, Helena

Jeffrey, Linda

Kwinter, Monte

Leal, Jeff

MacCharles, Tracy

Mangat, Amrit

McMeekin, Ted

Moridi, Reza

Murray, Glen R.

Naqvi, Yasir

Piruzza, Teresa

Qaadri, Shafiq

Sergio, Mario

Sousa, Charles

Wong, Soo

Wynne, Kathleen O.

Zimmer, David

51 to 26 in favour of Bill 16 (insert happy dance)

The gallery erupted into applause and tears! It was a great GREAT moment! It felt like the candle of hope that this nightmare will end in Ontario, just turned into a bush fire.

The day ended and we left feeling as though we were walking on a cloud.

The next step is the Bill (16) will be sent to committee hearing. This is a process where citizens from across Ontario have the opportunity to comment on, or provide evidence relating to the matter under review.

Anyone who wants to apply to present an oral presentation may do so. Oral presentations are in Hansard but written presentations are not. Anyone may also send in a written presentation.

The information will be made available likely within the next month or so. Based on the applications, which will have a time limit put on by when one must apply, dates will follow.

McGuinty does have the power to veto a private members Bill from returning to 3rd reading.

We are hopeful that Dalton McGuinty has come to his senses and will allow 3rd reading following committee hearings.

Stay tuned everyone. Hopefully we are on the road to having the breed specific language repealed from the Dog Owners Liability Act in Ontario so that we as dog owners may be treated FAIRLY AND EQUALLY UNDER THE LAW!